Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

A landmark convention by the United Nations (UN) that is likely to have the most impact on persons with disability in recent history is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) [1]. The UN adopted the UNCRPD in 2006 with the intent to change the attitudes and approaches to persons with disability, including children. The convention is premised on providing the foundation of human rights for all persons with disability regardless of their disability; it puts persons with disability in equal position to those persons without disability in terms of rights of access to services and opportunities. This is a critical piece to current efforts by the community advocating for persons with disability whether in the realm of vocational rehabilitation or return-to-work and social security and disability evaluation. The guiding principles of the UNCRPD emphasize the rights of persons with disability with regard to nondiscrimination, full and effective participation and inclusion in society, acceptance of persons with disability as part of humanity, and having equal opportunity, and accessibility [1]. These are essential principles when assessing persons with disability and will need to be integrated in health and health-related policy by the government and organizations that provide services and care for persons with disability so as to optimize their functioning and mitigate their disability. As a major life area of participation for most individuals, work is an integral part of life and everyday living and can have serious consequences with the presence of a health condition. Hence, our ability to capture disability and work disability in particular is critical.